Resistance variable memory elements, which include Programmable Conductive Random Access Memory (PCRAM) elements, have been investigated for suitability as semi-volatile and non-volatile random access memory devices. In a typical PCRAM device, the conductivity/resistance of a chalcogenide glass backbone can be programmed to stable lower conductivity (i.e., higher resistance) and higher conductivity (i.e., lower resistance) states. An unprogrammed PCRAM device is normally in a lower conductivity, higher resistance state.
A conditioning operation forms a conducting channel of a metal-chalcogenide in the PCRAM device, which supports a conductive pathway for altering the conductivity/resistivity state of the device. After the conditioning operation, a write operation will program the PCRAM device to a higher conductivity state, in which metal ions accumulate along the conducting channel(s). The PCRAM device may be read by applying a voltage of a lesser magnitude than required to program it; the current or resistance across the memory device is sensed as higher or lower to define the logic “one” and “zero” states. The PCRAM may be erased by applying a reverse voltage (opposite bias) relative to the write voltage, which disrupts the conductive pathway, but typically leaves the conducting channel intact. In this way, such a device can function as a variable resistance memory having at least two conductivity states, which can define two respective logic states, i.e., at least a bit of data.
One exemplary PCRAM device uses a germanium selenide (i.e., GexSe100-x) chalcogenide glass as a backbone. The germanium selenide glass has, in the prior art, incorporated silver (Ag) by (photo or thermal) doping or co-deposition. Other exemplary PCRAM devices have done away with such doping or co-deposition by incorporating a metal-chalcogenide material as a layer of silver selenide (e.g., Ag2Se), silver sulfide (AgS), or tin selenide (SnSe) in combination with a metal layer, proximate a chalcogenide glass layer, which during conditioning of the PCRAM provides material to form a conducting channel and a conductive pathway in the glass backbone.
Extensive research has been conducted to determine suitable materials and stoichiometries thereof for the glass backbone in PCRAM devices. Germanium selenide having a stoichiometry of about Ge40Se60, as opposed to Ge23Se77 or Ge30Se70, for example, has been found to function well for this purpose. A glass backbone of Ge40Se60, with an accompanying metal-chalcogenide (e.g., typically silver selenide) layer, enables a conducting channel to be formed in the glass backbone during conditioning, which can thereafter more easily be programmed to form a conductive pathway. The metal-chalcogenide is incorporated into chalcogenide glass layer at the conditioning step. Specifically, the conditioning step comprises applying a potential (e. across the memory element structure of the device such that metal-chalcogenide is incorporated into the chalcogenide glass layer, thereby forming a conducting channel within the chalcogenide glass layer. Movement of metal (e.g., typically silver) ions into or out of the conducting channel during subsequent writing and erasing forms or dissolves a conductive pathway along the conducting channel, which causes a detectible conductivity (or resistance) change across the memory device.